Verrus says its Oakline at Mill Creek campus could bring more than $5 billion in investment, while residents seek answers about electricity, water, noise and public oversight.
Verrus says the first phase of its proposed Salem data center would use electricity in the dozens of megawatts, offering the public its clearest estimate yet of Oakline at Mill Creek’s initial power demand.
The company says it would pay the rates, fees and project-specific infrastructure costs needed to connect and serve the campus. Verrus also plans to operate Oakline as a flexible load, reducing its electricity use during periods of peak grid stress. Residents are still waiting to learn the completed campus’s full power demand, water use and effects on nearby properties.
Oakline would be built near Turner Road SE and Deer Park Drive SE in the Mill Creek Corporate Center. If completed, it would be Salem’s first data center. Verrus Head of Energy and Policy Jeff Bladen told Salem Business Journal that the roughly 75-acre campus could include three buildings developed over several years.
No formal application has been submitted yet. However, Verrus has agreed to a City- and ODOT-approved conservation easement protecting all on-site oak trees.
Economic opportunity meets a limited land-use process
The site is zoned Employment Center, where data centers are allowed. Verrus would not need the City Council to rezone the property, though the city must still review buildings, grading, streets, stormwater, landscaping and utilities.
That matters to residents who want a broader public debate over whether a project of this scale belongs there.
Bladen said the $5 billion estimate includes buildings, site preparation, on-site utilities, electrical and battery systems, cooling equipment, road improvements and supporting infrastructure.
The city says the project would add taxable property to Salem’s economy. After the first three years, revenue would begin flowing to city services and the community levy. Salem would also collect a 5% franchise fee from the project’s electric bill.
Verrus describes its estimate of 75 permanent jobs as a starting point.
“We view 75 jobs as the baseline for what a fully operational campus could ultimately create,” Bladen said.
He said the campus could employ engineers, technicians, information technology workers, security and maintenance workers. Verrus has not announced salary ranges or a local hiring target, though Bladen said the company plans to work with colleges, apprenticeship programs and labor unions.
The tree application calls for retaining most healthy Oregon white oaks and planting 36 new ones with native vegetation.
New answers leave key questions open
Bladen said the first phase would likely begin in the “dozens-of-megawatts range,” with demand rising as more buildings open. The company offered ranges and comparisons, not final totals for the completed campus.
Verrus says Oakline would use closed-loop cooling with seasonal misting and batteries instead of relying mainly on diesel backup generators. Bladen said the campus would be designed to reduce electricity use during periods of peak grid stress, with its battery system also available to help support grid reliability.
“Even at full buildout, we expect the campus’ water consumption to be comparable to that of only a handful of sit-down restaurants,” Bladen said.
Verrus also says it would pay the applicable utility rates and fees, along with the full cost of infrastructure built specifically for Oakline, including an on-site electrical substation.
“We are committed to paying the full cost of the infrastructure required to support our data center,” Bladen said.
Bladen also pointed to a Michigan Responsible Growth Pledge.pdf signed by Verrus alongside Anthropic, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI and Oracle. The document commits participating companies in Michigan to cover energy and infrastructure costs tied to their facilities, limit water use, support local hiring and report publicly on environmental compliance and community investments. The pledge does not apply to Oakline, but Bladen said it reflects the kind of public commitments Verrus is prepared to discuss with Salem.
PGE now places large data centers in a separate customer class intended to keep growth-related costs with the customers creating them.
Residents continue to raise concerns about construction traffic, the campus’s size, tree removal and around-the-clock mechanical noise. Bladen said Verrus plans designated truck routes, set construction hours, dust controls and advance notice of disruptive work.
Verrus’ complete applications will provide the next detailed look at Oakline. The city and company also plan to negotiate a legally binding community benefits agreement covering issues important to Salem.
Until those documents are public, Salem has a clearer picture of what Verrus wants to build, but not yet the full measure of what the project would require.